The Big Sick

We all think we have a story to tell, and we do. But, some stories really are more equal than others, and The Big Sick is definitely more equal.

When writer and star Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) teamed up with his real life wife Emily V. Gordon, they took a leap and nailed it in one. The result is funny, sweet, charming, and oddly unexpected at times. And director Michael Showalter (Hello, My Name is Doris) manages to balance the story, which intersects a number of worlds and challenges, without losing any of the threads or the audience.

In some ways it reminds me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Not in style or content, but in its exposure of cultural realities and challenges and the navigating of the two worlds by the main characters. What the two films do share is a love of the people that populate their worlds and a fiercely romantic heart.

Zoe Kazan (In Your Eyes) tackles the role of Emily in the film well. She is an effortless actor, always seeming utterly planned-spontaneous while also seeming completely real. She continues to be a talent worth following to see where she’ll end up.

Added to the mix were Holly Hunter (Song to Song), doing Holly Hunter. Nothing bad, but nothing truly new for her. On the other hand, Ray Romano (Ice Age: Collision Course) manages something that is subtly difficult: he creates a character that isn’t funny. His timing and skill are still apparent, but he uses much like a real singer does who has to pretend they can’t sing; everything clunks perfectly.

In smaller roles, Adeel Akhtar (The Night Manager) and Anupam Kher (Sense8) help fill out important aspects of Kumail’s life. Neither are really given room to breathe and live, but we can intuit a lot from them in their short exchanges.

I do have to admit, while the movie grabbed me early on, and despite the echos of Don’t Think Twice, it was the spectre of Dr. Phibes that sold me utterly. But I was an easy target on that one. Phibes lives and looms very much in my genre closet.

Of course, timing couldn’t have been better for this film about cultural diversity and integration. But it is the heart in this film that ultimately sells it, not the trappings.